There are several prior art devices for muffling vocal sounds, particularly coughing, sneezing, talking, singing, and even shouting. The following U.S. patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicants are aware insofar as they are somewhat germane and pertinent to their invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,572,547 to Webb; 2,625,615 to Webb; 2,745,911 to Webb; 4,396,089 to Scully; 4,792,013 to Boynton; 4,834,212 to Figone et al.; 4,932,495 to Chapman; and 5,413,094 to McBrearty. Each of the three Webb patents discloses devices or masks for use in court reporting, assemblies, or other gatherings to receive directly the uttered or other sounds in such a manner as to be non-disturbing to adjacent or surrounding participants, spectators, or other persons, each of which incorporates an absorbing mass. In use, the devices disclosed by each of the Webb patents is held by one hand of the user and pressed against the user's face to surround the chin, mouth, and nose of the user. The Scully patent discloses a sound muffling cup into which an enraged person can shout to release tension while at the same time avoiding disturbing other persons. In use, the device disclosed by Scully is held by one hand of the user and pressed against the user's face to completely surround the mouth of the user. The Boynton patent discloses a globe-like device with a valve mechanism and internal baffles for muffling the cries of a baby. In use, the device disclosed by Boynton is placed over an infant's mouth and held in place by an attending person. The patent to Figone et al. discloses a human sound muffler and indicator to be held by a person for placement around that person's mouth and which includes a microphone and an associated electric circuit for receiving unabsorbed sound and providing an indication of the intensity of the unabsorbed sound which provides feedback to the user. The patent to Chapman discloses a device for muffling vocal sounds, particularly coughing or sneezing sounds, and has particular utility for deadening such sounds involuntarily made by hunters and the like, wherein the game being hunted is easily frightened away by such noises, and which also accommodates fluid flow volume. In use, the device disclosed by Chapman covers both the nose and mouth of the user. The patent to McBrearty discloses a device which is held in one hand and fits over a user's mouth and nose and which incorporates a core made of a noise reducing material for reducing the noise of coughs and sneezes.
These prior art devices suffer from numerous deficiencies and disadvantages. The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and disadvantages in that it provides an improved device that fills the need for a simple, inexpensive, cough or muffler that can be easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning and maintenance purposes.